German auto supplier Boysen to build $34M plant near Vance

View full sizeGov. Robert Bentley, center, with Boysen president Rolf Geisel, second from left, and Boysen executive Thomas Wurster, second from right, Tuscaloosa County Probate Judge Hardy McCollum, left, and Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority executive director Dara Longrear at the North River Yacht Club on Sept. 6, 2012. (Chris Pow / al.com

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- German automotive supplier Boysen USA said Thursday that it will build a $34 million plant near Vance to supply exhuast systems for Mercedes-Benz's new C-Class.

Gov. Robert Bentley joined local officials, Boysen executives and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International president and CEO Markus Schaefer to announce that the company will build a 120,000 square-foot plant on 22 acres off Brookwood Parkway two miles north of the MBUSI plant, bringing about 99 jobs to Tuscaloosa County.

Boysen officials said the machinery has been ordered and the company aims to have construction under way in two weeks. The company had sales of over $1.2 billion last year, president Rolf Geisel said.

Bentley said the state has made significant progress in adding jobs -- over 26,000 by his count -- over the last 18 months.

"The cooperative effort that we have always had working together to bring people to this state, to bring companies to this state, it truly does make a difference," Bentley said. "We would like to welcome Boysen -- a great company -- we want to welcome you to this great state of Alabama. We will do everything that we can to help you."

Bentley pointed to teamwork from local economic development organizations to the Department of Commerce as one reason for success in bringing industry to Alabama.